Vernon Workplace Shooting Conviction Upheld

By City News Report

A state appeals court panel Tuesday upheld a Santa Fe Springs man’s conviction for fatally shooting his boss and a co-worker at a Vernon lumber yard nearly 3 1/2 years ago.

The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected Saul Gastelum Moreno’s claim that his trial attorney was ineffective for failing to request a “pinpoint” jury instruction on the issue of provocation as it relates to premeditation and deliberation.

The appellate court panel found in its 13-page ruling that there was “ample evidence Moreno made a reflective decision to kill” Alan Bohnhoff, the owner of Bohnhoff Lumber Co., and co-worker Jaime Sanchez.

The May 18, 2009, shooting deaths — which were captured on surveillance video — followed a work-related dispute.

Moreno was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of evading police, and sentenced in August 2011 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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